This Toilet Tuesday (12/4/18)

Typically we start seeing a slowdown in music released around this time of year, especially when it comes to more popular bands, but such is not the case this week. Revenge, Svartidauði, and Zealotry are all waiting in the wings to potentially fuck up your year-end lists, and Hans and Karhu were able to find a bunch of other good stuff as well. Check out their picks and hit us with yours too.

First thought: “How badly do these guys want to be Meshuggah?” But it’s not long before the machine-like rhythm and riffing cease and make way for something more organic, if still technically bonkers. Speaking of bonkers, that singer is waaay over the top. I’m not entirely sure what to make of this. Large parts of it do seem like utter wankery, but it sure is entertaining. 12/7/18 (Hans)

As you can maybe tell by the logo and the silly cover, it’s crossover. With death metal growling, which is a combo I haven’t come across before. The singer may not be the greatest, but the rest of the band makes up for it. Given that there’s 13 tracks, I’m betting (hoping, really) that the others won’t be much longer than the opener. I’d also bet there won’t be any surprises, but fun’s fun. 12/7/18 (Hans)

In his review of their previous full-length, Link noted Majestic Downfall’s tendency to mix up their very simplistic songwriting with sudden changes like bursts of blast beat or unexpected solos. If “Veins” is a good presentation of the entire records, Waters of Fate takes another direction, slowly building longer arcs with more constant movement. Similar to Hamferđ in it’s atmospheric approach to doom death, but the absence of clean vocals driving them towards a less vocal-centric approach, making up for this with the aforementioned arcs and rueful leadwork. If the rest keeps up, Majestic Downfall might just have delivered some of the best doom/death of the year. 12/7/18 (Karhu)

Thrashy, speed metal influenced and riff-heavy, but melodic power metal with a good siding of shred is almost guarantees to not be the first thing you think of when you think of a Japanese, all-girl power metal band called Lovebites. That is to say, if you were to think of them at all. But that’s what they are. Lovebites offer basically everything power metal has ever done, and they rule at it. Whether it’s blazing solos, scorching riffs or grandiose touches of symphonicity, you want, you’d be an ass to miss this. 12/7/18 (Karhu)